Hi Im 13 and ive just ben reading up on burning man and what its about and everything and i really want to go! My moms ben to burning man before a long time ago and id love to go. I just like the idea of getting a break from all of the craziness of modern day life and all of the troubles of it too. Plus i love biking and camping and nature things so i think it would be great fun. I would like to go probably next year when im 14. I have read some of the posts on this forum and get what everyone is saying about how the kids should be mature and everything and i am a mature"teenager" and have a good sense of logic, i think this would be a good way to rekindle bonds between me and my mom or dad. Anything anyone can tell me about burning man would be great to know, im still having trouble wrapping my head around the camps and contributing. So if anyone has anything to say, like tips on what to pack for it or what to prepare for and stuff. Thanks!

NaturesFlow wrote:Hi Im 13 and ive just ben reading up on burning man and what its about and everything and i really want to go! My moms ben to burning man before a long time ago and id love to go. I just like the idea of getting a break from all of the craziness of modern day life and all of the troubles of it too. Plus i love biking and camping and nature things so i think it would be great fun. I would like to go probably next year when im 14. I have read some of the posts on this forum and get what everyone is saying about how the kids should be mature and everything and i am a mature"teenager" and have a good sense of logic, i think this would be a good way to rekindle bonds between me and my mom or dad. Anything anyone can tell me about burning man would be great to know, im still having trouble wrapping my head around the camps and contributing. So if anyone has anything to say, like tips on what to pack for it or what to prepare for and stuff. Thanks!

What to pack and what to prepare for are linked in the "Survival Guide" and "First-Timer's Guide" linked at the end of this post. Read it a few times--it's the minimum information, and it's not good enough for just your parents to know it--you need to know it, too. It even gives you a starter packing list. And be sure to talk to your mother. She's been before, so she's going to be your best resource--especially because she will be the one who makes the decision as to whether you can go.

In the meantime, demonstrate maturity and responsibility in your everyday life. The more your parents trust you, the better your chances they'll take you. Best of luck.

*** 2013 Survival Guide ***"I must've lost it when I was twerking at the trash fence." -- BBadger

I would think you would be a little more mature considering your age and all, but i guess not...maybe your parents did not raise you properly or you had issues as a kid? You should think about getting some help

NaturesFlow wrote:Hi Im 13 and ive just ben reading up on burning man and what its about and everything and i really want to go! My moms ben to burning man before a long time ago and id love to go. I just like the idea of getting a break from all of the craziness of modern day life and all of the troubles of it too. Plus i love biking and camping and nature things so i think it would be great fun. I would like to go probably next year when im 14. I have read some of the posts on this forum and get what everyone is saying about how the kids should be mature and everything and i am a mature"teenager" and have a good sense of logic, i think this would be a good way to rekindle bonds between me and my mom or dad. Anything anyone can tell me about burning man would be great to know, im still having trouble wrapping my head around the camps and contributing. So if anyone has anything to say, like tips on what to pack for it or what to prepare for and stuff. Thanks!

NaturesFlow wrote:correction 15*

NaturesFlow wrote:

trilobyte wrote:Did you actually just forget how old you were?

and no, i did not just forget my age i just made a little typo in my reply

Wait, what? Did you mean to say that you're 15, and next year you will be 14; or that you're 13, and next year you will be 15? Either way, I'm confused. Sorry, NF, but I'm pretty sure you're having us on.

If you want drama to stop following you everywhere, try letting go of the leash.

Indeed, a more expected typo would be to make one age mistake, not two. To say "I'm 13" by hitting an incorrect key (when one is in fact 14) and then type "Next year when I'm 15 . . . " (accurately) is more likely.

When I was a kid, I was always really excited and cognizant of the age that I was at all times, to the half-year,) because each age meant new privileges. It's only after 25 that you start forgetting how old you are until 30, because it's a big deal, and 35 (because you fully expect to be president).

Well, who can say?

*** 2013 Survival Guide ***"I must've lost it when I was twerking at the trash fence." -- BBadger

Savannah wrote:Indeed, a more expected typo would be to make one age mistake, not two. To say "I'm 13" by hitting an incorrect key (when one is in fact 14) and then type "Next year when I'm 15 . . . " (accurately) is more likely.

When I was a kid, I was always really excited and cognizant of the age that I was at all times, to the half-year,) because each age meant new privileges. It's only after 25 that you start forgetting how old you are until 30, because it's a big deal, and 35 (because you fully expect to be president).

Well, who can say?

Sorry i apologize for all of the confusion with my post. What i mean is that i turn 14 on july 7th and that NOW i am 13 and next year after i have turned 14 i will turn 15 and then go to burning man.....Does that clear anything up for you?

NaturesFlow wrote:Hi Im 13 and ive just ben reading up on burning man and what its about and everything and i really want to go! My moms ben to burning man before a long time ago and id love to go. I just like the idea of getting a break from all of the craziness of modern day life and all of the troubles of it too. Plus i love biking and camping and nature things so i think it would be great fun. I would like to go probably next year when im 14. I have read some of the posts on this forum and get what everyone is saying about how the kids should be mature and everything and i am a mature"teenager" and have a good sense of logic, i think this would be a good way to rekindle bonds between me and my mom or dad. Anything anyone can tell me about burning man would be great to know, im still having trouble wrapping my head around the camps and contributing. So if anyone has anything to say, like tips on what to pack for it or what to prepare for and stuff. Thanks!

Your writing suggests that your maturity is at a level commensurate with a good burner. Well written.

He's a mystery wrapped in a riddle, inside an enigma, painted in hot pants. - SavannahPropane ToysHow to do it wrong:

Savannah wrote:Indeed, a more expected typo would be to make one age mistake, not two. To say "I'm 13" by hitting an incorrect key (when one is in fact 14) and then type "Next year when I'm 15 . . . " (accurately) is more likely.

When I was a kid, I was always really excited and cognizant of the age that I was at all times, to the half-year,) because each age meant new privileges. It's only after 25 that you start forgetting how old you are until 30, because it's a big deal, and 35 (because you fully expect to be president).

Well, who can say?

Sorry i apologize for all of the confusion with my post. What i mean is that i turn 14 on july 7th and that NOW i am 13 and next year after i have turned 14 i will turn 15 and then go to burning man.....Does that clear anything up for you?

Ah, it does.. thanks. Sorry if I was weirdly snarky there. I don't think I meant to be, but re-reading my own post jut now made me cringe a bit.

If you want drama to stop following you everywhere, try letting go of the leash.

NaturesFlow wrote:I just like the idea of getting a break from all of the craziness of modern day life and all of the troubles of it too.

That sounds more like a leisurely camping trip in a shady redwood forest.

I'll be going to Burning Man for the first time this year. I am expecting craziness and troubles around every corner...a year's worth of pent-up energy let loose on the playa. Then we can all go back to our modern life and pretend to be docile and civilized again. Most people just blow off steam by buying something, or hitting something.

I have to say that my opinions about children at the burn really changed after this year. I camped in Hushville which is right next to Kidsville, and I saw SO many young children having a blast! I also noticed that these same kids were sleeping at night, so I feel like there are plenty of responsible parents who bring kids to burning man. I won't lie, I do think it's a bad idea to bring a 13-17 year old out there with the exception of a few particularly responsible teens. So I guess I'm divided on the issue, I think for younger kids it can be a really character building, fun experience, but for teenagers maybe a bit too much. However, overall I did not see any kids out there that were having a bad time.

I often feel that it should be mandatory for 17-20 year olds to attend Burning Man. They will see bare body parts in a non-sexual setting, and it will desensitize the sight of the naked body. It will also give them the opportunity to remove their own stigmas and fears if they choose.

The first 15 minutes will be awkward, then everything will be good with the world.

A male friend of mine told me an interesting story that I think illustrates part of the power of just letting the kids experience things for themselves in the right setting.

My friend was at a sleep-away summer camp during his middle school years. He loved the camp's attitude of treating kids as adults, having them think for themselves, having them work on meaningful creative projects of their own design, and in general promoting an open-minded teen community. One day while at camp he was walking past a set of bleachers where he could partially see two people seated. As both pairs of legs were hairy, he at first assumed they were both male. Yet as he passed them, he saw that one was a woman!

He recalled that day to me, saying that instead of thinking "Ew, gross - she's really hairy!" as I imagine many American male teenagers would, he remembered thinking to himself "Huh, I guess women are just as hairy as guys if they don't shave. Whatever." Having never seen the natural state of an adult woman's body, it was one of those impressionable moments where a kid's mind is at its most malleable. My friend could see that hairy legs obviously weren't a big deal for that woman in shorts, nor for her friend. Because he'd been living in the atmosphere of a summer camp that promoted non-judgmental thinking, my friend was in the mindset to think about this new information for himself and to realize that hairy legs are perfectly natural, not disgusting.

To this day, my friend claims that whether or not a woman shaves her legs has exactly zero impact on his opinion of her, her beauty, or her sexual attractiveness.

When he lights his streetlamp, it is as if he brought one more star to life, or one flower.When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep.That is a beautiful occupation.

BoyScoutGirl wrote:A male friend of mine told me an interesting story that I think illustrates part of the power of just letting the kids experience things for themselves in the right setting.

My friend was at a sleep-away summer camp during his middle school years. He loved the camp's attitude of treating kids as adults, having them think for themselves, having them work on meaningful creative projects of their own design, and in general promoting an open-minded teen community. One day while at camp he was walking past a set of bleachers where he could partially see two people seated. As both pairs of legs were hairy, he at first assumed they were both male. Yet as he passed them, he saw that one was a woman!

He recalled that day to me, saying that instead of thinking "Ew, gross - she's really hairy!" as I imagine many American male teenagers would, he remembered thinking to himself "Huh, I guess women are just as hairy as guys if they don't shave. Whatever." Having never seen the natural state of an adult woman's body, it was one of those impressionable moments where a kid's mind is at its most malleable. My friend could see that hairy legs obviously weren't a big deal for that woman in shorts, nor for her friend. Because he'd been living in the atmosphere of a summer camp that promoted non-judgmental thinking, my friend was in the mindset to think about this new information for himself and to realize that hairy legs are perfectly natural, not disgusting.

To this day, my friend claims that whether or not a woman shaves her legs has exactly zero impact on his opinion of her, her beauty, or her sexual attractiveness.

If only we could force that experience on every american male...

The Lady with a Lamprey

"The powerful are exploiting people, art and ideas, and this leads to us plebes debating how to best ration ice.Man, no wonder they always win....." Lonesomebri

My grand kids have gone every year. My granddaughter is 6 and the youngest is 2. They camp in Kidsville and have a blast. My daughter and son in law are very responsible, family counselors in fact. Yes they put them to bed when it gets dark and they keep them on a schedule. They brought a family friend with them so they would be able to goout a couple times after the kids fell asleep. everyone had so much fun and will continue to do sobecause the parents are responsible.

Milayna wrote:I have to say that my opinions about children at the burn really changed after this year. I camped in Hushville which is right next to Kidsville, and I saw SO many young children having a blast! I also noticed that these same kids were sleeping at night, so I feel like there are plenty of responsible parents who bring kids to burning man. I won't lie, I do think it's a bad idea to bring a 13-17 year old out there with the exception of a few particularly responsible teens. So I guess I'm divided on the issue, I think for younger kids it can be a really character building, fun experience, but for teenagers maybe a bit too much. However, overall I did not see any kids out there that were having a bad time.